Lake Crescent Lodge
Encyclopedia
Lake Crescent Lodge, originally called Singer's Lake Crescent Tavern, is an historic resort situated on the shores of Lake Crescent
in Port Angeles, Washington
. Located on the Olympic Peninsula
within Olympic National Park
, the Lodge is owned by the National Park Service
and operated by ARAMARK
Parks and Destinations. The Lodge resort is open seasonally from early May until the end of October with select cabins available during the winter months. Hiking and boating are popular activities for guests, and several peaks, including Mount Storm King and Pyramid Mountain, are easily accessible from the resort. Other hiking opportunities include Marymere Falls
, Spruce Railroad
, and Barnes Creek Trails.
When the Singers arrived at the turn of the century, they spared no expense in the Tavern’s construction, spending nearly $50,000 in 1915. That amounts to over $1 billion in current spending value. The Lodge guests were offered modern conveniences, a restaurant, and many recreational and evening activities.
For the first six years of operation, guests of Singer’s Tavern arrived by ferry, which continued to be popular throughout the 1920s. However, when the scenic Olympic Highway was completed in 1922, automobiles quickly became the most popular form of transportation to the Lodge. A railroad was also constructed on the opposite side of the lake but was never used for passengers. Completed in 1919, the line was engineered to ship logs for airplane manufacturing during World War I but opened only weeks before the war ended. Since then, the Spruce Railroad Trail
has become a popular hiking location, accessible by East Beach Road, and remnants of the original railroad can still be seen.
The Singers sold the property in 1927 to the Seattle Trust Company and then to Walter and Bessie Bovee. The events of the 1930s greatly impacted the Lodge and the entire region around the lake. In the latter half of that decade, members of Congress proposed the establishment of a large national park encompassing the central, mountainous region of the Olympic Peninsula, and, as a result, the Lodge received its most notable guest. To assess the sylvan beauty firsthand, President Franklin D. Roosevelt journeyed to the Peninsula in the fall of 1937. The Lodge welcomed him, his guards, and other political leaders the evening of September 30th. It is speculated, though not officially documented, that he spent the night there as well. As a result of his journey around the Peninsula, the President emphatically signed Olympic National Park into existence in 1938. Cottages built in the following decade were consequently named the Roosevelt Cabins.
Walter and Bessie Bovee took ownership and brought the Lodge back to life in the 1940s. They expanded the Lodge and offered many recreational activities, including renting out boats and canoes. A shoreline area called Bovee’s Meadow, accessible by a short trail from the Lodge, is a popular recreational area.
The National Park Service purchased the property in 1951, and private ownership of the resort ceased. Over the latter half of the century, expansion continued throughout the property with the construction of three, hotel-style lodges. These buildings, called Marymere, Storm King, and Pyramid, are named for several stunning landmarks around the Lodge. Marymere Falls, Mount Storm King, and Pyramid Mountain provide guests with trails and breath-taking scenery.
Lake Crescent Lodge is currently operated by ARAMARK Parks and Destinations and opened seasonally from early May until late October.
The most popular hiking trail from the Lodge leads to Marymere Falls, a tall, crystal-clear cascade running into Barnes Creek.
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is a deep lake located entirely within Olympic National Park in Clallam County, Washington, United States, approximately west of Port Angeles, Washington on U.S. Route 101 and nearby to the small community of Piedmont...
in Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,038 at the 2010 census. The area's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791, but by the mid-19th century the name had...
. Located on the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
within Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
, the Lodge is owned by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and operated by ARAMARK
Aramark
Aramark Corporation, known commonly as Aramark, is an American foodservice, facilities, and clothing provider supplying businesses, educational institutions, sports facilities, federal and state prisons, and health care institutions. It is headquartered at the Aramark Tower in Center City,...
Parks and Destinations. The Lodge resort is open seasonally from early May until the end of October with select cabins available during the winter months. Hiking and boating are popular activities for guests, and several peaks, including Mount Storm King and Pyramid Mountain, are easily accessible from the resort. Other hiking opportunities include Marymere Falls
Marymere Falls
Marymere Falls is located in Olympic National Park near Lake Crescent in Washington, United States. The falls are accessed by a one-mile trail. Falls creek descends from Aurora Ridge and tumbles over Marymere Falls and then flows into Barnes Creek. It has a height of 90 feet. The falls is one of...
, Spruce Railroad
Spruce Railroad Trail
The Spruce Railroad Trail is a rail trail located on the shores of Lake Crescent about west of Port Angeles, Washington. The trail follows the former Port Angeles Western Railroad grade along the shores of Lake Crescent...
, and Barnes Creek Trails.
History
Lake Crescent Lodge- or Singer's Tavern as it was then called- was opened in 1916 by Avery and Julia Singer as a fisherman’s retreat on Barnes Point, the south shore of the pristine Lake Crescent in Washington State. At the time of its opening, the Tavern consisted of seven Lodge rooms, five of which are still in use today, and a series of cottages. It has expanded to include three motor lodge buildings and additional cabins along the shoreline. But despite the many renovations that have taken place over the past century, the Lobby’s stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and furnishings are original, offering a blend of rich history, breath-taking scenery, and a welcoming environment.When the Singers arrived at the turn of the century, they spared no expense in the Tavern’s construction, spending nearly $50,000 in 1915. That amounts to over $1 billion in current spending value. The Lodge guests were offered modern conveniences, a restaurant, and many recreational and evening activities.
For the first six years of operation, guests of Singer’s Tavern arrived by ferry, which continued to be popular throughout the 1920s. However, when the scenic Olympic Highway was completed in 1922, automobiles quickly became the most popular form of transportation to the Lodge. A railroad was also constructed on the opposite side of the lake but was never used for passengers. Completed in 1919, the line was engineered to ship logs for airplane manufacturing during World War I but opened only weeks before the war ended. Since then, the Spruce Railroad Trail
Spruce Railroad Trail
The Spruce Railroad Trail is a rail trail located on the shores of Lake Crescent about west of Port Angeles, Washington. The trail follows the former Port Angeles Western Railroad grade along the shores of Lake Crescent...
has become a popular hiking location, accessible by East Beach Road, and remnants of the original railroad can still be seen.
The Singers sold the property in 1927 to the Seattle Trust Company and then to Walter and Bessie Bovee. The events of the 1930s greatly impacted the Lodge and the entire region around the lake. In the latter half of that decade, members of Congress proposed the establishment of a large national park encompassing the central, mountainous region of the Olympic Peninsula, and, as a result, the Lodge received its most notable guest. To assess the sylvan beauty firsthand, President Franklin D. Roosevelt journeyed to the Peninsula in the fall of 1937. The Lodge welcomed him, his guards, and other political leaders the evening of September 30th. It is speculated, though not officially documented, that he spent the night there as well. As a result of his journey around the Peninsula, the President emphatically signed Olympic National Park into existence in 1938. Cottages built in the following decade were consequently named the Roosevelt Cabins.
Walter and Bessie Bovee took ownership and brought the Lodge back to life in the 1940s. They expanded the Lodge and offered many recreational activities, including renting out boats and canoes. A shoreline area called Bovee’s Meadow, accessible by a short trail from the Lodge, is a popular recreational area.
The National Park Service purchased the property in 1951, and private ownership of the resort ceased. Over the latter half of the century, expansion continued throughout the property with the construction of three, hotel-style lodges. These buildings, called Marymere, Storm King, and Pyramid, are named for several stunning landmarks around the Lodge. Marymere Falls, Mount Storm King, and Pyramid Mountain provide guests with trails and breath-taking scenery.
Lake Crescent Lodge is currently operated by ARAMARK Parks and Destinations and opened seasonally from early May until late October.
Setting
Lake Crescent Lodge is located at Barnes Point on the south shore of the lake adjacent to Barnes Creek, named after the first homestead built there in the 1890s. This shore is also home to the Olympic Park Institute. Both are situated at the root of Mount Storm King and encircled with the Olympic Mountain Chain. The Lodge is situated amidst an old-growth forest with rainforest ferns and immense cedar and fir trees.The most popular hiking trail from the Lodge leads to Marymere Falls, a tall, crystal-clear cascade running into Barnes Creek.